Partnering to Improve Veterans’ Health Care

PRIMARY CARE SERVICESVA Maine Healthcare SystemDate

Why have we asked for your time today?

“Honor America’s Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves

their health and well-being”

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What Do We Hope to Accomplish Today?

• Present basic information about the VA and how VHA Health Care system works

• Discuss ways we can improve our collaboration in taking care of Veterans:

Access to VA medical recordsTransferring a Veteran from your hospital transfers to the

VAHow does the VA Pharmacy and medication system work?

• Acknowledge your concerns and issues with VHA services, systems, and regulations.

5VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION – OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH

About the Department of Veterans Affairs• Federal government’s second largest department after the

Department of Defense • Established in 1930• Elevated to Cabinet level in 1989• Three components:– Veterans Health Administration (VHA)– Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)– National Cemetery Administration (NCA)

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What is the VHA?

• VHA is an entitlement program funded by Congress which may change depending on the Department of Veteran Affairs budget

• VHA is not an insurance policy for veterans

VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION - VHALARGEST INTEGRATED HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY

153 Hospitals

90 Domiciliary Resident Rehabilitation Treatment Programs

232 Readjustment Counseling CentersVET CENTERS

134 Community Living Centers

956 Clinics (Hospital, Community-Based, Independent and Mobile)

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About the VA Maine Healthcare SystemTogus VAMC serves over 36,000 Veterans

• 67-operating bed facility with general medical, surgical, palliative care and psychiatric units

• 100-bed Community Living Center with skilled and long term care• Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, Hematology,

Oncology, Infectious Disease, Pulmonary, Dialysis, Nephrology, Neurology, Palliative Care, Psychiatry, Dentistry, Orthopedics, Surgery, Geriatrics, Optometry, Primary Care

• Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) and Outreach Clinics– Aroostook County (Caribou), Ft. Kent, Bangor, Calais, Houlton, Lincoln,

Rumford, Saco, Lewiston-Auburn, Portland

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Our Purpose: To Provide Excellent Patient-Centered Care for Veterans

• Build understanding between community healthcare organizations and local VHA services.

• Improve communication by identifying appropriate contacts at VHA and in the community.

• Safe transitions of care to reduce hospital readmissions

• Moving from “dual management” to “co-management” systems

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Starting point: Ask your patients…

• Did they serve in the military?

• If they have, are they enrolled in VHA?

• If not, suggest they contact the VA at www.va.gov for veteran’s benefit information.

• If they served in Iraq or Afghanistan, suggest they look at benefits information at http://www.oefoif.va.gov/index.asp

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About VHA Primary Care

• Patient Centered Medical Home model

• Enrolled Veterans assigned to a Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT)

• Primary Care Provider and the veteran’s PACT are the gateway to care and services at the VHA.

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What do VHA Patients Pay for?

It varies:• If a healthcare problem was caused by the veteran’s military

service, the VHA calls it service connected. The veteran receives free healthcare for that condition.

• For non-service connected conditions, the veteran may be charged a co-pay for healthcare visits, prescriptions, equipment or hospitalizations.

• VHA bills Veterans’ commercial healthcare insurance for care unless it is service connected.

• VHA does not bill Medicare.

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Why is there Co-Managed Care?

• Veterans enrolled in VHA care can use community healthcare services while maintaining their access to VHA benefits

• 50-70% of all enrolled Veterans are managed in partnerships with the private sector

• Veterans are looking for ways to minimize their out of pocket expenses.

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Co-Management Challenges

Areas that are particularly challenging for community physicians when working with VA:

1. Coordination of medications and supplies 2. Access to VA patient information3. Transferring patients to a VA Hospital4. What does the VA pay for at non-VA sites?

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Medications and Equipment

• VHA Pharmacy only fills prescriptions written by VHA providers or VHA fee-based providers.

• Veterans get medications and medical equipment from VHA only for conditions managed by VHA providers

• When Veteran’s ask their VHA provider to supply a medication prescribed by a community provider, the VHA provider reviews the clinical information available and/or schedules an appointment to see the Veteran because they will be medically responsible for the prescription

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VHA Providers use the VHA Formulary

The VHA Formulary:

http://www.pbm.va.gov/NationalFormulary.asp

• Primary Care Providers prescribe medications within their scope of practice.

• Medications prescribed by a community specialty care provider (ophthalmologist, oncologist, rheumatologist, etc.) require a VHA specialty care provider to concur and write.

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Example:Preferred Medications

VA Formulary Not on VA FormularySimvastatin (1st line)Pravastatin

AtorvastatinRosuvastatin

Omeprazole

RanitidineFamotidine

LansoprazoleEsomeprazole

Finasteride Dutasteride

Symbicort Advair

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How Do I Contact VHA for Records?• Non-Urgent

– Veteran can submit a Release of Information request to VHA to send information directly to the community provider

– Request that the Veteran provide the information directly• Urgent

– Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.: Contact TOGUS at 877-421-8263 or 207-623-8411 and asked to be directed to patient’s Primary Care PACT Team.

– Evenings, nights, weekends, holidays: contact TOGUS at 877-421-8263 or 207-623-8411 and ask for administrator on duty

• My Health e Vet option– Veteran prints information , secure messages the VHA provider to

call, or can grant access to EMR

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How Do I Transfer a Veteran Patient to the VA?

• Each hospital in Maine has instruction on how to contact the Maine VA to request assistance with a patient transfer. The Admissions and/or the Case Management Department at your facility can assist you through this process.

• Non VA Care Coordination, also known as CSSU or Fee Services, is where these calls are directed at the Maine VA .

• Ed Palm RN Transfer Coordinator 207-623-8411 x4368 Pager: 207-580-7297

• Charlene Harrison RN Transfer Coordinator 207-623-8411 x5642 Pager: 207-580-7184

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What will VHA pay for at non-VHA sites?

• It varies and it is complicated. • If VA services are available, VA usually does not pay• If VA services not available, then there are circumstances

where VA may pay• Managed by Non-VA Care Coordination/Fee Basis department• Millenium Bill provides funding for emergency inpatient care

at non-VA hospitals for veterans without any other source of payment.

• Additional information for non-VA providers filing claims may be found at: http://www.nonvacare.va.gov

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For More In-Depth Information:The 3-Hour Workshop

• Learn more about the services available to eligible Veteran patients

• Explore specific processes for accessing VA services, prescriptions, equipment & supplies, hospital discharge, transfers, and more

• Discuss challenges faced by providers, case managers, nurses and other team members involved in co-managed care

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Clinical Pearls• Ask “Are you a Veteran?”• Acknowledge military service (Deployments , Combat

exposures, Illness / injuries while deployed)• Ask about VHA PACT Team contact information if your patient

is enrolled in VA care.• Include your patient’s VA provider information in your medical

record. • Encourage Veteran to use MyHealtheVet • Contact the VA Primary Care Case Manager.

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Resources for Health Professionals

• VA / DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines

http://www.healthquality.va.gov

http://www.nationalresourcedirectory.gov/

http://www.pdhealth.mil/hcc/sapr.asp

http://www.womenshealth.va.gov/

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How to Contact Us

VA Primary Care Case Management Contacts :Portland/Saco Clinic

Rhonda Loveitt RN CRRN CM 207-294-3154Sarah St. John MSW CM 207-294-3160

Bangor: Triage Nurse 207-580-1665Caribou: Tim Lacrone RN CM 207-493-3850Lewiston/Togus/Rumford:

Janet Erskine RN CM 207-623-8411 x5889 Glenda Robertson RN CM 207-623-8411 x7490Wendy Brazz, RN CM 207-623-8411 x7490

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Questions & Answers